What You Need to Know about Legalization of Recreational Marijuana Sales in California, Part 1

Posted on January 3, 2018April 11, 2018

Last November, California voters passed Proposition 64, the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative. Now, a year after, we are approaching January 1st, 2018, the date when licensed medical marijuana clinics in Orange County will start selling recreational cannabis.

California was the first state to legalize cannabis for medical use in 1996 and became the fifth state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana. With January fast approaching, you should know what will be changing when recreational cannabis comes to California.

Who can buy recreational marijuana?

Proposition 64 was approved in California on November 8th, 2016, making it legal to possess up to an ounce of cannabis flower and 8 grams of marijuana concentrates, as well as to cultivate up to six plants at home for personal use. However, legal sales of recreational cannabis were delayed.

As of January 1st, 2018, people aged 21 and older with a valid state or federal ID will also be allowed to purchase cannabis for recreational purposes. A recommendation from a doctor to buy recreational marijuana will no longer be necessary.

Where can you buy recreational marijuana?

Not every city in California is embracing the legalization of recreational marijuana. Los Angeles has joined cities such as San Diego, San Francisco, Berkley, San Jose, and Oakland in granting licenses for marijuana sales to recreational users.

Recreational marijuana sales, however, won’t be permitted in cities such as Pasadena, Palo Alto, Riverside, Sunnyvale, and Anaheim. Some cities have decided to reopen this issue after they see the system at work.

Can you buy recreational cannabis in medical marijuana clinics in Orange County?

If you already regularly purchase cannabis at medical marijuana clinics in Orange County, you may be wondering if you will also be able to walk into your dispensary to buy marijuana for recreational use.

As long as you are 21 or older, with a valid state identification, and you want to buy marijuana from a licensed dispensary, then yes, you can. Sales of recreational marijuana will only be permitted in approved dispensaries. There are 20 legal dispensaries in Orange County so far.

In order to sell cannabis, a retailer in California first has to get the approval of the county or city where they plan to do business. If the city or county allows commercial marijuana sales, the retailer can apply for a temporary or permanent state license. The state agency responsible for licensing distributors and retailers is the Bureau of Cannabis Control.

How does the legalization affect patients at medical marijuana clinics in Orange County?

To get treatment for their medical condition, users of medical cannabis will still need to get a recommendation from an approved doctor and obtain their medical marijuana ID card through the existing medical marijuana legal system. If you have your medical cannabis recommendation card, you can continue using it after Proposition 64 expands marijuana sales.